[CondoleezzaProtege]

It is important to hear out from both Ukrainian Orthodox and Moscow-loyal believers on this matter... Kiev's hopes of breaking free from the spiritual AND geopolitical grip of Moscow is nothing new -- it is a tension that is centuries in the making.

It is worth taking note of this humble St. Petersburg Russia-based commentator's take on the matter. His name is Ilya Zabezhinsky. Here are excerpts from his post:

By Serving Kremlin rather than Christ, Moscow Patriarchate Now a Small National Church

No one in the Moscow Patriarchate should be surprised that all are running away from it, the Christian churches in the former Soviet space, the Russian believers who put Christ ahead of Putin, and all those who care about the rights and freedoms they should have as citizens of a modern country.

Our church, he says, has spent the last 20 years promoting things that have nothing to do with Christianity and not promoting the things that are at the core of the faith. Its members should not be surprised that others are running away from us, as the Ukrainian Orthodox now are, and that unless we change, others will do the same.

[Mrs. Don-o]

Thanks, Condoleezza. Very interesting.

It's not something I am ever going to be competent (or called) to make a judgment on. There's too much history there.

But it's dreadful to see the rancor on either side. Perhspa some saint can work this out...

[Elsie]

Our church, he says, has spent the last 20 years promoting things that have nothing to do with Christianity and not promoting the things that are at the core of the faith.

PFFT!

Rome has promoted stuff not found in Scripture for almost 2000 years!